Currently, communications using the Internet (or other data network) permit users to communicate with one another anonymously over dialed-up or other access lines. For example, online service providers allow users to connect their personal computers (PCs) together for purposes of anonymously communicating with one another in online text discussions using so-called “channels,” “virtual rooms” or “chat” rooms (or any of a number of similar constructs). Text “chats” take place in such chat rooms by users sending text to one another; some text chat participants may merely observe (“listen”). Once a chat session is in place, online service users may elect to enter or exit a session at will. Generally, users taking part in a chat are listed or otherwise indicated on each session user's computer screen in terms of “nicknames,” or “handles” to preserve user anonymity—a hallmark of chat and many other forms of online communications.
Recently, features such as “sub-chats” or “private chats” have been provided in some online contexts by which a subset (self-selected or upon request by others) of the on line chatters are moved to a separate chat (virtual) venue. Another feature available in some chat sessions is “Instant Messaging” or similar-named facility by which one user in a chat session is able to send direct (text) messages to one or more other users taking part in the chat. Thus, if side comments not appropriate for general observation are desired between two users, selection (usually by a screen message button) of the instant messaging feature results in a window on the selecting user's computer screen along with prompts for the intended message recipient and the content of the message. When the message originator completes these fields and a Send (or similar) screen button is pressed (clicked on), the message is sent privately to the intended recipient using the hosting chat server's message facilities. Typical uses of these instant messages include setting up private chat rooms and inviting others to join. While the chat sessions described above are all text chat rooms, i.e., all communication is via text messages between the chat session users, provision has been made of late for voice chat rooms. In typical voice chat rooms a number of users participate in a manner similar to a discussion by way of a telephone conference call. The mechanism by which such voice chat sessions operate is usually the same or very closely related to those used in text chats. Thus, in typical arrangement, a functional voice chat “layer” is added over what is basically a text chat session control mechanism, thereby reducing the number of changes required at the chat server to effectuate voice capabilities. Such voice chats proceed entirely within the chat server (or servers for distributed chat networks); no connection to the telephone network by the chatter (other than a data link via modern to a data network access point) is required. While such voice chat conversations typically prove satisfactory for many purposes, private voice chat room functionality has not emerged. Among the factors contributing to this condition are network host capacity and complexity of changes at such network chat hosts.
One approach to introducing voice communications between a chat session is described in co-pending patent application entitled “Anonymous Voice Communication” by R. B. Leipow, Ser. No. 08/673865, filed Jul. 2, 1996 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. In that application, which is hereby incorporated by reference in the present application as if set forth in its entirety herein, a trusted agent is used to establish voice communications between online parties while maintaining anonymity of the parties. The trusted agent is illustratively implemented as an adjunct to processor functions at a network server, such as an online chat server. Other recent voice chat improvements are described in copending application Ser. No. 09/111,672 by A. DeSimone entitled “Anonymous Voice Communication Using OnLine Controls,” filed Jul. 8, 1998 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. This last-cited application is also hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in its entirety herein.
While efforts to achieve anonymous telephone communications between users in contexts like online chat sessions have proven possible, such efforts have generally required significant modifications at an online server. In addition, prior voice chat arrangements have typically required that each participant in the voice conversation either have two telephone lines, or have required that the existing online text chat or other data connection be terminated and the subscriber telephone line used with a normal voice telephone.